Fire clock



Jan. 27. 1925. I 1,524,063

J. JSWANBERG Fm: CLOCK Filed Nov. 20, 1922 \/E :1... all 20S Swanfier IPatented Jan. 27, 1925.

FIRE

Application filed November To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULiUs SwANBnne, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook 5 and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a FireClock; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accon'ipanyingdrawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in alarm bells or gongsconstructed for the purpose of automatically giving an alarm in case offire and has for one of its objects the provision of a self-containedimproved type of a fire alarm gong adapted to be convenicntly mounteddirectly in the room or place to be protected against fires, and furtherdesigned so that the gong will be operated automatically when apredetermined temperature has been reached.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple andeffective individual fire alarm device which may be readily mounted inany convenient place.

Another object of this invention is to construct a self-containedautomatic fire alarm bell.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fire alarmdevice with an improved means which normally holds the alarm mechanismfrom operation and which is releasable by heat.

A further object of this invention isthe construction of an improvedfire alarm apparatus having a simple and effective method of operatingthe alarm device and a mechanism which 1S positively operated andcomposed of a minimum of parts and therefore not liable to get outoforder:

It, is furthermore an ob ect of this invention to provldea compactautomatic alarm in a place which is to be safeguarded aga nst fires,said alarm mechanism having a locking means for holding the alarm springagainst releasing movement until apredetermined temperature has beenreached which is sufiicient to fuse a fusible metal or thermostaticdevice which ordinarily holds the alarm means against movement.

Another and further important object of this invention? is theconstruction of a single mechanism adapted to be installed directlyUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS SWANBE'RG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNQB, TO FAIBART INSTRUMENTCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CLOCK. i

20, 1922. Serial No, 601,962.

automatic fire alarm device adapted to be set to ring as soon as athermostatic locking connection.- forming a part of the alarm has beenbroken.

Still another important object of the invcntion is the provision of suchan automatic fire alarm device which shall be simple and easy ofconstruction, small and therefore readily portable, and capable of beingmounted in any desired place, but which will give an alarm veryeffectively and communicate the same to quite a considerable distance.

Other and further important objects of this invention will appear fromthe disclosures in the accompanying drawings and the followingspecification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andherein-after more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the im proved mechanism, the bell gongand the thermostatic device being removed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the improvedapparatus with the bell gong and the thermostatic device in position.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2 showingthe construction of thespring and gear for operating the alarm or gong mechamsm.

Figure 4a is a front view of the apparatus with the cover removed.

Y As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates a circular plate or cover formingpart of the easing of the machine having a cylindrical body 12 thereforand a back plate 14:. VVithi-n the case formed by the plates 10 and 12and the cylindrical member 12 iscontained a driving device for theapparatus which is similar to an ordinary clock mechanism comprising aspring 16 and gears 18 20 and 22. The spring 16 is adapted to be woundby a key ,)referably inserted into the back of the apparatus and itthereby drives the gears 18, 20 and 22. The gear 22 is in drivingconnection with a smaller gear mounted on a shaft 24- passing throughthe front plate 10 and having riveted or otherwise fastened thereto acircular plate 26. This plate 26 when being turned by the action of thespring and gears actuates an offset crank'28, one end of which. iseccentric-ally mounted thereon 'at,30, the other end being in turnmounted at 32 for pivotal movement on an extended lug 34 on an arm 36pivoted at 38 to the plate 10. The end of this arm 36 is made in theform of a double bell clapper as shown at 40 and is ronstructed in anenlarged T-shape as shown in Figure 1, and the ends thereof are adaptedto operate as clappers to ring the bell. member 42 or gong when thedevice is set in to operation. An upwardly extending, preferablytriangularly shaped member or stop 44 is mounted on the end of the arm36-4O which, is adapted to coact with an extension 46 which projectsoutwardly through a slot 48 in a hollow bracket 50 providedon the outerface 10 which both supports the hell or gong member 42 and is hollowedto contain a coiled spring mounted therein having an upwardly extendingpin which is normally held in I downward compressed position by means ofn Mi the thermostatic member 52 composed of two relatively shdableplates soldered together .by a. readily fusible metal mounted in a cage54.

The operation is as follows:

The spring 16 being wound up normally has a-tendency to cause rotationof the gears 18, 20 and 22 which'will tend to revolve the shaft 24 andits attached circular plate 26, thereby causing an eccentric motion ofthe end of the lever 28 around the axis 24, it being mounted on theplates 26 at 30. This will cause a reciprocation of the clapper member3640 thereby ringing the bell 42. However the clapper member 36-40 isnormally held from reciprocation by the contact of the pin 46 extendingoutwardly through the slot 48 and hearing against the side of thetriangular upstanding member 44 on the clapper member (ES 40. This ismaintained in downward position against the compression of the sarin inthe sn 3 ort 50 b 1 means of a ain which is held in downward position byreason of its relation-to the thermostatic fusible member 52 in the cage54. It will be seen that the tendency of the spring will be to push thepin and its projecting member 46 upwardly and this will occur as soon asthe surrounding temperature rises surtlioiently to melt the fusiblemember 52 which will then release the pin 46 and its coacting member 42allowing the bell to ring and thereby giving the alarm.

'It will be seen that herein is provided an improved individual firealarm device which'is adapted to be constructed in portable form and isarranged to be automatically set in operation when exposed to atemperature above a predetermined degree, which is regulated by thecomposition of the fusible alloy 52.

Fire alarm devices such as are used at the present time are usuallyconnected in a fire alarm or protective system to he controlled or ope'ated from a distant point or outside source of energy and are not onlycomplicated and expensive to install and maintain in working condition,but are not inde u-ndent and readily transferable from place to place sothat they will be within the means of average users and capable of beinglocated in any desired place at will. This invention will overcome theabove objections to fire alarm apparatus and will provide a portabledevice which may be readily applied anywhere by anyone under allcircumstances, and will be very efficient and prompt in operation ingiving any alarm of tire or heat above any given predetermined degrees.

It will also be seen that the same may be used again if desired if thefusible material has: been melted as it can be readily replaced.

I am aware that Various changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction varied without departing from the principles of thisinvention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent grantedthereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automatic alarm comprising a cas ing, a bell thereon, springactuated means for ringing said bell, and means on said bell ringingmeans adapted to hold the same against operation until a predetern'iinedtemperature has been reached, said means including an integral outwardlyturned member having an angular edge adapted to coact with a springimpelled pin held in position by fusible means.

2. An automatic tire alarm device inchul ing a gong. actuating meanstherefor, means for restraining the same from actuation. a

sounding mechanism for said gong, said sounding mechanism being composedof" a rotatable plate, a lever eccentrically mounted thereon at one end,the other end of said lever adapted to act to reciprocate a clappermember having its end shaped in arms to coact at both extremities of itsmotion with the gong member.

3. An automatic fire alarm device including a gong, a. soundingmechanism for said gong. said sounding mechanism being composed of arotatable plate, a lever eccentricat ly mounted thereon at one end. theother end of said lever adapted to act to recipio oate a clapper memberhaving its end shaped in arms to coact at both extremities of its motionwith the gong member, and means on said gong member adapted to normallymaintain the same against reciprocation.

4. An automatic fire alarm device including a gong, a sounding mechanismfor said gong, said sounding mechanism being c0n1- posed of a rotatableplate. a lever eccentrically mounted thereon at one end, the other llllend. of said lever adapted to act to reciprocate a clapper member havingits end shaped in arms to coact at both extremities of its motion withthe gong member and means 5 on said gong member adapted to normallymaintain the same against reciprocation, said means including anoutwardly turned integral member having a sloping edge adapted to coactwith a spring impelled pin held in retracted position by means of afusible member adapted to be released when a predetermined degree ofheat has been reached.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two 15 subscribing Witnesses:

JULIUS SVVANBERG. lVitnesses CARLTON HILL, OSCAR HARTMANN.

